Surgical treatment of intrabiliary rupture of hydatid cysts of liver: Comparison of choledochoduodenostomy with T-tube drainage

Background. Intrabiliary rupture is one of the most serious complications of liver hydatid cysts (LHC). The kind of surgery for these patients is still controversial. T-tube drainage and choledochoduodenostomy (CD) are used by most of the surgeons. But there is no comparative study in the literature. Methods: Eighty patients with symptomatic intrabiliary rupture were treated between 1980 and 1995. All patients had jaundice. In addition to treatment of the cyst cavity, T-tube drainage of the common bile duct (CBD) was performed in 53 patients, 25 patients underwent a CD for biliary drainage and two patients were treated by a T-tube placed in the CBD without treating the cyst. The T-tube drainage and CD groups were compared in regard to morbidity, mortality, duration of the operation, rate of relaparatomy and duration of postoperative hospital stay. Results: The morbidity rate was 40% (10/25) after CD and 18.1% (10/55) after T-tube drainage. Relaparatomy was necessary in 8% (2/25) and 1.8% (1/55) of patients treated with CD and T-tube drainage, respectively. T-tube drainage was performed much more rapidly than CD (p < 0.05). The length of hospital stay for both groups was the same. One patient who was treated with CD died postoperatively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that T-tube drainage is superior to CD for intrabiliary rupture of LHC in most cases. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.